Lagos, Badagry monarch welcome Olokun festival

The Lagos State Government, the Akran of Badagry, Oba De-Wheno Aholu Toyi 1, and prominent diaspora organisations have endorsed Olokun World Festival as a major cultural fiesta in Lagos state.

The endorsement came to light at the grand finale of the 2024 edition of Olokun Festival in Badagry, in recognition of the foundation’s efforts at sustaining the festival in the last 22 years.

The organisers said the annual festival attracted over 50,000  participants, with 50 monarchs in attendance from the Republic of Benin, Badagry and other parts of the South-West.

The Chief Executive Officer, Council for Arts and Culture, Idowu Johnson, who stood in for the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Toke Benson, said it is interesting to note that the Olokun Festival Foundation has been sustaining the celebration of the annual festival now for 22 years, adding that the best is to support the foundation by making it a World Festival with global appeal.

“Though the Osun Osogbo festival is celebrated in Osun state, it is very much  recognized by  UNESCO.

“We are part of the success story of Osun Osogbo, but today we are celebrating Olokun Festival’s consistent efforts in promoting the cultural fiesta for 22 years. And that is why we are endorsing the fiesta as Olokun World Festival, as part of the efforts of the Lagos State Government to promote culture and tradition in the state.”

The Akran of Badagry, Oba De-Wheno Aholu Toyi, in his remarks, praised the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams for transforming the annual fiesta into a global event, saying Badagry and Yoruba monarchs would continue to support any initiative tailored towards ensuring the progress of Yoruba land.

The royal father of the day, who is also the Olowu of Owu  Kuta, Osun State, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama, urged all the six governors in the South-West to support the cultural evangelism crusade embarked upon by the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland.

The foremost monarch added that many of the festivals and cultural events celebrated in the developed countries are not bigger and better than what Iba Gani Adams is doing in Yoruba land and Nigeria as a whole.